Folding stool



Jam'z, 1945. RUSSELL 2,366,560

FOLDING' STOOL Filed Junel2, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A tiorney 1945. P. J. RUSSELL ,56

FOLDING STOOL I Filed June 12, 1945 25heets-Sheet 2 E g r I B zlllm'm-y Patented Jan. 2, 1945 OFFICE Pit-incubus Russell; Duhling, Eire.

Alppli'eatiuin June LZ, 1943 Ser-i'EI Not 490%651 In Eire August 25;;1'942:

miaims. (onus-4495). 1

' This invention relates: to folding stools:

' One object of" the invention is to provide a folding: stool which when collapsed forms a compact bundleand whenxextend'ed: for use provides support for a, flexible seat. A further objectis to provide a folding stool' characterised by two pairs of pivota'lly' connected legs connected by pairs of transverse pivoted struts; with seat sup porting'cross' rails of angle section, pivotally at"- ftached at'th'eir'one ends to the upper'ends of one pair of legs whilst their other ends are provided 1' with means for the removable engagement of the grail. ends with the tops of the other pairsof'legs jwhereby in the extendedpositionof. the legs and cross.rail's,, a. rigid seat supporting structure is obtained whilst; in the colIapsedmosition of the 'legsjend' cross rails the latter lie snugly along- :side and embrace the detached. pair oi legs so that the flexible seat can: be rolled around the rails and'legs and'securedlby press stucls or equivalent fasteners to form a convenient endcompact bundle. The cross. rails, in. their extended positi'on, liedi'rectly over the pivoted struts to ef'- fectivel'y brace same and relieve them from ,Strain. p

The invention will now be described,, by way of example with. reference to. the embodiments shown in theannexedl drawings wherein-- n Fig. 1" is an elevation looking. towards the. side 'tl'ie stool extended for use,

Fig; 2 is a plan view ofJFig. 1 with the seatma- Lof one of the pairs of pivoted legs and showing .terial removed to show the supporting structure more clearly. a

, Fig.2 is an eniargeddetail view o'f theltop of the'legjwith the extension block to which the seat 'rail is pivotally; attached Thislview corresponds with the top left hand corner of-Fig;v 2.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of? the top right hand corner of Fig. 2..

Fig; 3 is an elevation of the stool correspondin their collapsed position.

'ing to Fig. 1 and. showingthe legs and seat rails Fig. 3 is" an" enlarged detail viewshowing the spud and socket for-locking therail ends to the leg tops. t I g Fig; 4 is an elevation looking; in the direction of the arrow K; Fig. 1, and showing the" stool extendedrea'dy'for use. l

Fig.v 5; is an elevation; looking'in the direction "of" the arrow'X', Fig. 1-, and showing the stool collapsed, the canvas-seat I beingshown in dot't'ed l'inesso that the legs and seat rails may be shown more clearly.

Fig; 5;. looking inthe direction f the arrovwY but: with the. seat material folded toone side for convenienceof drawing; Figs. G and' 'T are enlarged detailviews ot a modified suppont for the seat rails:- in: which metal brackets the pi vot's replacethe'wooden pivot carrying blocks atthe top of the legs.

Referring to the drawings? 7 i In the-example shown attFig-st 1 to 5 the supponting structu-re.for' the flexibleiseatzl of a fold} ing stool comprises two pairs of:pivotai'ly con:-

nected legs 2 and 2 connected two pairs of crossstrutsfl pivoted at Mand having'pivotal connectiom with the legs 2 and"! at13 The legs 2? and 2 areofl scissors-like form or formed in a manner similar to" a pair otpliers; with side to side portions pivotall y connected by: pivots 4 and temnnating atv each: end in abuttin sideward extensihns' which are eachhalf the width: and twice the? thickness of" the: intermediate portions so-that in either the extended position of" the legs as shownat" Fig. 1,.or in the closed position ci -the legs as shownat Fig. 5, the outer surfaces on both sides: are-flush or in thesame plane 1 therebyprovi'dinlg for 1 the convenient attachment thereto or? the cross struts 3; For" the convenient pivotal attachment; to the legs Z at one side of the stool of the seat: supporting: oross ra-il'ss 5; extension blockst isee Fig 43' are provided on the inner sidesoi the extensions at the top of the legs 2" and the rail"; ends are' connected thereto by pivots 5- located as shown so that therebythe rails-SJ can; as shown at Fig. 5; lie: close along the outer" sides ot the legs 2' when the latter are in closed-mmposition; In the example shownthe nails 5 are of inverted" L-angl'e section and the side or vertical web* of each rail, in the closed position, extends over the side i of the adjacent leg 2;. keeping the collapsed legs close together while 4W the' horizontal or top web lies alongside the outer fecesoi the legs? 2 The ends 5 -of"the cross rails 5rare;.in theexten'dedipositionofthe legs; engaged with the": tops; ofl'thecorrespondihglegs 2 (see detaih Fig: 39 pnoviding at each: of" the said rail ends at hole-1E into whichei project-tenor spud" I,

pnovidedom the-atopiot each of theilegsi, is adapted to be inserted and so efiect locking engagement at thenail ends d withtthertops of the-legs 2*. This arnangement ensures that the seat supporting 50Y structure will be held inextended positiontor ef- Fig; 5* is an enlarged inverted plan View of fective support and whenitsis 'desiredzto collapse the stooliapulli cm the: 1e'gs 2. and /or lifting of the raili ends 5. will disengage: the pins 1 1mm the holes 6 andithestructure can then he f'olded to the: completely: collapsed position with. thewehs yond the outer sides of the legs 2 as to ensure that the horizontal or topwebs of the rails 5 will, in the collapsed position, lie close along the outer sides of ,the detached folded legs 2. The seat rails .5 of angle section have considerable strength,-give guiding support to the tops of the legs 2 as they are moved from closed to extended position and they also add to the compactness of the whole structure when closed. In the closed position the flexible seat I can be wrapped round the closed rails and legs and secured by means of press stud fasteners 9 on the rails and seat. The '1 article can then be carried like an umbrella. A

carrying cord In may be provided. A projection I I may be provided on one or both rails 5 to assist v movement of the legs 2 to extended position, said projection being located so as to lie between the legs 2 and 2 when in closed position and as the rails are moved upwards the projection I I forces the free legs 2 away from the legs 2% so that they can then be more easily extended. In the example shown in Fig. l, the seat I is secured to the seat rails-5 by being nailed or glued thereto. When a metal rail is provided, the seat material -I may be secured by a turned over metal lip l2 as shown at Fig. 6.

What I claim:

1. A stool comprising two pairs of X-formation legs each with a pivotal connection at the intersection so that they can be extended to X-position or in-use position and each having an intermediate part containing said connection and end parts of greater thickness than. the intermediate part extending in the direction of the axis of said connection but of lesser width at right angles tov said direction than the intermediate parts so that the legs can be collapsed to parallel or out-of-use position forming a composite solid with flush sides, two pairs of X-formation struts in planes transverse to the planes containing the legs and of legs or collapsible to flat position in which they lie between and alongside the legs when the latter are collapsed .to parallel or out-of-use position, twotransverse rail members of inverted L- cross' section having their vertical webs pivoted at or near the tops of the legs of one pair, detachable connection means on said members to engage the top of the other pair of legs when the legstand struts are in extended X-formation to form a rigidstructure and a flexible seat-forming means extending between said members, the pivots of said members beingso located with reference. to the said one pair of legs that when the legs and struts are in collapsed position the transverse members lie alongside the other pair of legs, the vertical and horizontal webs of said members respectively lying alongside" the sides and outer faces of the pair of legs other than those to which the rail members are pivotally f connected.

2.- A stool as claimed in claim 1, in which th detachable connection means between the transverse rail members and a pair of legs comprises stud and socket means. I

4 31A folding stool comprising two pairs of legs of which each pair consists of two le'gshaving a pivotal'connection intermediate their lengths alzlowing. the legs to be moved in planes to an X- formation in-useposition and to a parallel or alongside out-of-use position, two pairs of struts lying in planes transverse to said first planes and each pair comprising. two struts each pivotally connected at its ends to legs of the said two pairs of legs and having a pivotal connection intermediate their lengths so that they can be moved to an X-formation position to space apart the pairs of legs or to a collapsed or alongside position in which they lie alongside the legs when-the latter are likewise collapsed, atransverse rail member pivotally connected at one end at or near the upper end of each leg of a pair, flexible seat-forming means extending between said transverse membersand means for detachably connecting the other end of each member at or near the upper end of the corresponding le of the other pair when the legs and struts are in extended position to form a rigid structure, the pivotal connection and detachable connection means for said member allowing them to be folded alongside the legs and struts when both the latter are in the collapsed position and the transverse members being of angle section to embrace the detached pair pivotally connected thereto, said struts being extensible to X-formation to space apart the pairs of legs in thec-ollapsed position.

4. A folding stool comprising two pairs of legs ofwhich each pair consists of two legs having a pivotal connection intermediate their lengths al-, lowing the legs tobe moved in planes to an X- formation in-use position and to a parallel or alongside out-of-use position, two pairs of struts lying in planes transverse to said first planes and each pair comprising two strut each pivotally connected at its ends to legs of the said two pairs of legs and having a pivotal connection interme diate their lengths so that they can be moved to an X-formation position to space apart the pair of legs or to a collapsed or alongside position in which they lie alongside the legs when the latter are likewise collapsed, a transverse rail member pivotally connected at one end at or near the upper end of each leg of a pair, flexible seatforming means extending between .said transverse members and means for detachably connecting the other end of each member at or near the upper end of the corresponding leg of the,

other pair when the legs and struts are in extended position to form a rigid structure, the pivotal connection and detachable connection means for said members allowing them to be folded along-- side the legs and struts when both the latter are in the collapsed position and each leg comprising an intermediate part of reduced thicknessinthe direction of the axis of its pivotal connection with the other and the ends of the legs being of redu oed thickness at right angles to said direction so that in the collapsed position each pair of legs forms a composite solid with flush sides.

5. A folding stool comprising two pairs of legs of which each pair consists of two legs having a pivotal connection intermediate their lengths allowing the legs to be'moved in planes to an X- formation in-use position and to a parallel or alongside out-'of-use position, two pairsof struts lying in planes transverse to said first planes and each pair comprising two'struts each pivotally connected at its ends to legs of the said two pairs of legs and having a pivotalconnectionintermediate their lengths so that they can be movedto an .X-formation position to space apart the pair of legs or to a collapsed or alongside position in the legs and strutswhen both aseacco forming means extending between saidtransverse members and means for detachably coning pivotal connections with the pairof legs that i in the collapsed position they embrace and lie necting the other end of each member at or near the upper end of the corresponding leg of the other pair when the legs and struts 'are in extended position to form a rigid structure, the

pivotal connection and detachable connection means for said members allowing them to be folded alongside the legs and struts when both the latter are in the collapsed position and the rail members being of L-cross section and the pivotal connections for said members being spaced out from the pair of legs in the direction of the other pair of legs so that in the collapsed position the members lie parallel with and embrace the other pair of legs.

6. A folding stool comprising two pairs of legs of which each pair consists of two legs having a pivotal connection intermediate their lengths allowing the legs to be moved in planes to an X formation in-use position and to a parallel or alongside out-of-use position, two pairs of struts lying in planes transverse to said first planes and each pair comprising two struts each pivotally connected at its ends to legs of the said two pairs of legs and having a pivotal connection intermeparallel to the outer faces of the other pair of legs and in conjunction with the other webs provide guiding support to said other pair of legs as the struts are moved from collapsed to extended position. i

7. A folding stool comprisin two pairs of legs of which each pair consists of two legs having a pivotal connection intermediate their lengths allowingthe legs to be moved in planes to an X-formation in-use position and to a parallel or alongside out-of-use positiomtwo pairs of struts diate their lengths so that they can be moved toan X-formation position to space apart the pairs of legs or to a collapsed or alongside position in which they lie alongside the legs when the latter are likewisecollapsed, a transverse rail member pivotally connected at one end at or near the upper end of each leg of a pair, flexible seatforming means extending between said transverse members and means for detachably connecting folcled alongside i the other end of each member at or near the upper end ofthe corresponding leg of the other I lying in planes transverse to said first planes and each pair comprising two struts each pivotally connected at its ends to legs of the said two pairs of legs and having a pivotal connection intermediate their lengths so that they can be moved to i an X-formation position to space apart the pairs of legs or to a collapsed or alongside position in i which they lie alongside the legs when the latter are likewise collapsed, a transverse rail member pivotally connected at one end at or near the upper end of each leg of a pair, flexible seat-forming means extendin between said transverse members and means for detachably connecting the other end of each member at or near the upper end of the corresponding leg of the other pair when the legs and struts are in extended position to form a rigid structure, the pivotal conmotion and detachable connection means for said members allowing them to be folded alongside the legs and struts when both the latter are in the collapsed position and said members being rails of inverted L-cross section having side and top websand pivotally connected by their side webs to one pair of legs and the side webs and top webs being adapted respectively to engage the sidesand outer faces of the other pair of legsin. the collapsed position, the side webs having projection means adapted to be located between the opposed inner faces of the pairs of legs in said collapsed positionwhich projections serve to force apart the pairs of less when said members are moved to the extended or in-use' position. PATRICK JOHN RUSSELL. 

